Hebrews 8:1-13 - The Better Place

Introduction:

When my daughter, Alaina, was around 7 years of age, we decided to go to a Father Daughter Camp in Waynesburg, PA.

Arriving in July, we expected this to be an extremely hot and dry trip. Yet, we were surprised to be met with unexpected cold front that had combined with a blast of moist air that created a perfect mix of cold rain!

The problem was we had a tent to set up! So attempting to be dad of the year, I proceeded to unpack and put up our tent in the pouring rain. My daughter seemed unphased by this unfortunate set of circumstance involving cold air and drenching rains making this job much more difficult! Once I finally got the tent put up and all of our stuff in the tent, we were able to finally hang out and talk for a bit until the fun activities started.

We enjoyed a couple of good days of activity with some merciful breaks in the weather, however the final night of our trip was met with a torrential downpour.

All of the sudden, where we set up our tent began to matter a little more. Unfortunately, we had set our tent up not so conveniently beside of a creek.

The rain kept coming and the waters kept rising all night that night. My daughter and I kept an eye on the rising creek that we were problematically camping right beside. I quickly began to regret the location in which I had set the tent up. This was obviously not the better place to camp - as the title of this sermon alludes to. The water came and reached the very edge of the tent and praise the Lord, it finally started to slow down, and we made it home without floating away! (See the slide where the hay was moved from the flooding).

Friends, where you set your life up has consequences.

Just like we almost faced some significant consequences for choosing the wrong place to set up our tent, the Jews faced consequences for choosing to continue trusting in the Old Covenant. Despite the coming of the Messiah, many Jews kept placing their trust in sinful men - the priests. They placed their trust in a temple that would be destroyed within a short time after this book of Hebrews was written.

Their hope and trust was not placed on the firm foundation of Jesus Christ. When the floods of their lives would come, their foundation would prove unstable.

Yet for those who place their faith and trust in Jesus Christ alone - we know that our foundation is strong and sturdy. It is eternal. As we mentioned a few weeks ago and will discuss again today - it is anchored in heaven at the right hand of the Father through Jesus Christ!

Jesus tells us the result of the world’s unstable foundations…

Matthew 7:27 ESV

And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”

And yet He also tells us about the security found in Him - one that is placed on the Solid Rock of Jesus:

Matthew 7:25 ESV

And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.

May each of us be sure that we have trusted in the Rock of Ages - our Savior - Jesus Christ.

Let’s jump into our Scripture today and learn more about our wonderful Savior...

Read Full Scripture:

Hebrews 8:1–13 ESV

Now the point in what we are saying is this: we have such a high priest, one who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, a minister in the holy places, in the true tent that the Lord set up, not man. For every high priest is appointed to offer gifts and sacrifices; thus it is necessary for this priest also to have something to offer. Now if he were on earth, he would not be a priest at all, since there are priests who offer gifts according to the law. They serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things. For when Moses was about to erect the tent, he was instructed by God, saying, “See that you make everything according to the pattern that was shown you on the mountain.” But as it is, Christ has obtained a ministry that is as much more excellent than the old as the covenant he mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises. For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion to look for a second. For he finds fault with them when he says: “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will establish a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt. For they did not continue in my covenant, and so I showed no concern for them, declares the Lord. For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws into their minds, and write them on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And they shall not teach, each one his neighbor and each one his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest. For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more.” In speaking of a new covenant, he makes the first one obsolete. And what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.

Prayer

The book of Hebrews has continuously reminded us that Christ is better. Today we are going to describe three more ways that Christ is better as our Great High Priest of the New Covenant… The first is…

I. Christ Ministers in a Better Position (1)

Hebrews 8:1 ESV

Now the point in what we are saying is this: we have such a high priest, one who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven,

There is no higher and better position than the right hand of the Father.

The book of Hebrews asserts that Jesus is seated at the right hand of the Father five distinct times (Hebrews 1:3, 1:13, 8:1, 10:12, 12:2)

We see eight further references of this in the remainder of the New Testament. (Matthew 26:64, Mark 14:62, Mark 16:19, Luke 22:69, Acts 2:33-34, Ephesians 1:20, Colossians 3:1, Revelation 3:21).

The right hand is a place of authority and favor. 90% of people are right-handed. Thus to be on the right hand is considered a place of power.

This language comes from the most quoted Old Testament passage found in the New Testament - namely Psalm 110:1:

Psalm 110:1 ESV

The Lord says to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.”

This verse is quoted or alluded to some 22 times in the New Testament with 5 of these found in the book of Hebrews!

Why does the author of Hebrews keep reminding us about the position of Christ?

It is because we have an infinitely superior high priest. He ministers in a better position - frankly, He ministers from the best position possible. He ministers beside of the Father - at His right hand.

People like to have connections in this world. They like to know the right people in order to be shown favor. However, many of us don’t know the right people. Many of us aren’t privileged to be a part of the have’s in our society. Yet, no matter how forgotten we might feel, no matter how little political or social authority we might wield, each of us has the greatest connection we could ever imagine - namely Jesus Christ who is at the right hand of the Father!

We are also told here that Christ is seated. This refers to His completed work on the cross.

While hanging on the cross in His final moments we hear the following…

John 19:30 ESV

When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

Brothers and sisters, it is finished. The sins of man have been atoned for. Salvation is now offered to all who will place their faith and trust in Christ and repent of their sins.

May you be sure that you received the free gift of salvation from Jesus. He has proved His authority over death and the grave through His resurrection. We can have hope and peace no matter the circumstances because we know Who holds our future.

Listen to this tragic but beautiful account of Jesus at the right hand of the Father.

In Acts 7, one of the early church leaders named Stephen was stoned for his faith. In a beautiful way, we see that although Christ’s work has been completed, and He is usually viewed as seated at the right hand of the Father - in this moment, we see Him standing to welcome Stephen…

Acts 7:55 ESV

But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.

This view of Christ standing was a beautiful showing of strength and peace to Stephen as he suffered a martyr’s death. Though Christ’s work for our salvation has been achieved, we will see in a few moments that He continues working for our good as our mediator when we get to our final point. However, before speaking of that, we see that Christ also…

Scripture References: Psalm 110:1, John 19:30, Acts 7:55

II. Christ Ministers in a Better Place (2-5)

Hebrews 8:2–5 ESV

a minister in the holy places, in the true tent that the Lord set up, not man. For every high priest is appointed to offer gifts and sacrifices; thus it is necessary for this priest also to have something to offer. Now if he were on earth, he would not be a priest at all, since there are priests who offer gifts according to the law. They serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things. For when Moses was about to erect the tent, he was instructed by God, saying, “See that you make everything according to the pattern that was shown you on the mountain.”

Jesus is referred to as a minister in the holy places. A minister is one who serves. However, Jesus is a special minister who doesn’t need to serve Himself as He has no need to sacrifice for Himself as we have mentioned before. He is sinless. Yet, He did offer a sacrifice - He offered Himself up to die in our place. What a wonderful Great High Priest we have!

And where does Christ serve - He serves in heaven.

If He was serving on earth, He would be no priest at all - meaning that He would not be of the line of Levi. Yet, as we saw in chapter 7 - He is a priest forever chosen by God!

And we see that He serves in the true tent. By true tent this doesn’t mean that the earthly tabernacle and temple were false. It means that they were imperfect shadows of what is truly real. The author compares the throne room and sanctuary of heaven to the one that Moses erected.

Moses was possibly shown a vision or model of the Tabernacle that was to be created on earth as seen in Exodus 25:40. Yet, this was a copy and shadow of the heavenly throne room. In fact, this original tabernacle was even a copy and shadow of the beautiful Temple of Solomon that would come later. Yet, despite the amazing Temple of Solomon, the heavenly sanctuary that will be revealed to us one day far exceeds any earthly building!

Our Lord and Savior ministers in a better place.

Friends, there is only one access to God now. It isn’t through the Jewish priests. It isn’t through any New Age mysticism. It isn’t through any other religion. It is only through Jesus Christ who is both our Priest and King. He is the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Him (John 14:6).

We know that in our eternal state in heaven - the New Heavens and the New Earth - there will be no need for a temple any longer…

Revelation 21:22 ESV

And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb.

God Himself is our Temple at that time.

However, leading up to this we see some visions from John regarding the Temple of God in heaven that is active even today. Many of these visions seem to parallel the earthy tabernacle and temple. It shows us the true Temple and not the copy and shadow that was on earth.

Revelation 11:19 ESV

Then God’s temple in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant was seen within his temple. There were flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake, and heavy hail.

Here we see the ark of the covenant. If we look back we see see a brazen altar in Revelation 6:9-11 as well as an altar of incense in Revelation 8:3-5. Revelation 4:5 seems to suggest that the seven lamps of fire parallel the seven-branched lampstand of the tabernacle.

As amazing as the earthly Tabernacle and Temple were on earth, nothing compares to the heavenly sanctuary.

Brothers and sisters, Jesus ministers is the original and true sanctuary - not a copy.

The author of Hebrews has reminded us that Jesus is a better priest in a better position in our first point. And now we have seen that Jesus ministers in a better place in this second point.

And finally we get to our last point which is…

Scripture References: Exodus 25:40, John 14:6, Revelation 21:22, Revelation 11:9, Revelation 6:9-11, Revelation 8:3-5, Revelation 4:5

III. Christ Ministers With a Better Promise (6-13)

Hebrews 8:6 ESV

But as it is, Christ has obtained a ministry that is as much more excellent than the old as the covenant he mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises.

Many rulers and leaders over the history of our world, after they have accomplished big things and obtained great power, start to step back and quit working. They start to delegate everything to others. They seek to bask in their glory and stop working.

Praise be to God that our Savior is not like that!

He has a ministry - or a service to His people - that is much more excellent than the Old Covenant.

Although He is victoriously seated at the right hand of the Father, we see that He continues working to this day.

He listens to your prayers. He hears the cries of His people. He ministers to His people. He intercedes for His children.

He continues to mediate a better covenant based on better promises.

A mediator is someone who stands between two people to bring them together.

A mediator is usually needed because there is a conflict. And Christ did come to bridge the gap between the greatest conflict to ever afflict mankind.

There is a chasm between man and God caused by sin.

Because of sin, there is separation between God and man.

The Old Covenant sought to reconcile man to God through the Law. Yet, it was given as a schoolmaster to prove to man that he was not good. We would not understand sin if the Law did not point it out. Listen to Paul teach this in Romans 7:7…

Romans 7:7 ESV

What then shall we say? That the law is sin? By no means! Yet if it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin. For I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, “You shall not covet.”

Yet the New Covenant is a better promise. Listen to the author continue in verses 7 and the first part of 8:

Hebrews 8:7–8 ESV

For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion to look for a second. For he finds fault with them when he says…

The fault with the Old Covenant was found in the fact that it was never intended to be permanent. It was meant to show man how he falls short. It was external.

The Old Covenant was able to reveal sin but not remove it. It was unable to justify sinners. It was unable to truly atone for sins.

God did not provide the Old Covenant to be the ultimate reconciliation plan between man and God. It was to look forward to the ultimate reconciliation plan - through Jesus Christ.

The New Covenant was promised as early as Genesis 3:15 right after the Fall of man and mentioned throughout the Old Testament. But in a very beautiful way, Jeremiah gave us a detailed description of the New Covenant almost 600 years before Christ in Jeremiah 31:31-34. This Scripture is quoted in Hebrews 8:8-12 and is the longest continuous Old Testament quotation in the New Testament.

Hebrews 8:8–9 ESV

… “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will establish a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt. For they did not continue in my covenant, and so I showed no concern for them, declares the Lord.

Interestingly, the New Covenant is a covenant with the Jewish people. Here we see that it is with the house of Israel and the house of Judah. He speaks of this being a New Covenant and not like the old.

Listen to this interesting theological understanding that the New Covenant mentioned here infers from John MacArthur…

“God has never made a covenant with Gentiles, and, as far as I can see from Scripture, He never will. The New Covenant is not made with the church, as some seem to think. It is made with the same people the Old Covenant was made with: Israel. Gentiles can be beneficiaries of the New Covenant, just like they could be beneficiaries of the Old (cf. Gen 12:3). But both covenants were made with Israel alone. Israel as a nation rejected God by rejecting His Son. But God has never rejected Israel, nor has He transferred His covenant with her to anyone else.”

John MacArthur

In fact, the Scriptures teach that salvation was offered to the Jews first and then the Gentiles (Romans 1:16).

And in Romans 11 we find that we were grafted in. We are not natural branches, but instead branches that have been grafted in.

God still has a plan for Israel. Despite much of Israel being apostate, we know from Revelation 7, 14 that God has a plan for them during the Tribulation.

We Gentiles are blessed to be grafted into this wonderful covenant.

Don’t get me wrong - the New Covenant absolutely extends to us as Gentiles through Christ. One of the amazing aspects of this New Covenant was that people from every tribe and nation and tongue would confess the glory of God in eternity (Psalm 117, Revelation 7:9-10). We are partakers and blessed by this wonderful New Covenant.

We can be saved. We are adopted as children of God. Yet, we must remain humble and realize that we don’t deserve this wonderful grace that has been poured out upon us. Paul states in Romans 11:25…

Romans 11:25 ESV

Lest you be wise in your own sight, I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.

God has handed Israel over to their idolatry and rejection of the Messiah until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. Yet, God will redeem a remnant of Israel in the end. Praise be to God that He keeps His covenantal promises.

Now we get some of the details about this wonderful New Covenant that we get to enjoy as well as believers…

Hebrews 8:10 ESV

For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws into their minds, and write them on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

Once we are saved, we are indwelled by the Holy Spirit. God uses the Holy Spirit to sanctify us through the Scriptures and through His work in our lives. 2 Corinthians 3:18 speaks of the Holy Spirit’s transforming power in the believer’s life - forming us into the image of Christ.

The New Covenant offers us a few better promises...

1 - God grants us a new heart.

God removes our heart of stone and gives us a heart of flesh (Ezekiel 36:26-27).

This concept is beautifully illustrated in a medical account I read this past week.

Dr. Christiaan Barnard was the first surgeon to ever do a heart transplant. He asked one of his patients - namely Dr. Philip Blaidberg - a South African dentist and the second of Dr. Bernard’s heart transplant patients - “Would you like to see your old heart?”

A few days went by and the men found themselves standing in a room in the hospital having a conversation. In the midst of this conversation, Dr. Bernard handed a glass container to Dr. Blaidberg. Blaidberg was the first man to ever hold his own heart in his hands. He then asked a series of technical questions to the heart surgeon before finally stating:

“So this is my old heart that caused me so much trouble.’ He handed it back, turned away and left it forever.”

Praise be to God that He removes our heart of stone and gives us a new one. Our old heart is gone forever!

Moving on to verses 11 and 12…

Hebrews 8:11–12 ESV

And they shall not teach, each one his neighbor and each one his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest. For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more.”

We mentioned the internality of the New Covenant. The Old Covenant was external while the new internal. We have seen that we are given a new heart already.

Next we see that…

2 - God grants us a new relationship.

We no longer need a priest to mediate between us and God. We can go straight to Him! We can all know Him! From the least to the greatest. He shows no partiality. He doesn’t rank us according to our worldly accolades. He welcomes each of us.

This doesn’t mean that we don’t need spiritual mentors, pastors, and teachers. The Scriptures are clear that we should sit under men who preach and teach the Word soundly and correctly. What it means is that you don’t need a pastor to spoon feed you. You have the privilege, ability, and command to seek after the Lord through His Word yourself through diligent Bible study and prayer!

God desires a personal relationship with you.

Next we see that…

3- God grants us a new mind.

We are given a greater knowledge. God makes the foolish wise. He even allows children to understand many of the great theological truths found in the Scriptures through the power of His Holy Spirit.

This is why there are incredibly intelligent scholars in our world that are far less wise than some of the more simple-minded believers in our world. God gives wisdom to the humble.

And finally, the most important aspect of the New Covenant is that…

4 - God grants us a new purity.

Our sins are forgiven and remembered no more! How amazing is that promise!

Because of Christ’s atoning sacrifice on the cross, we can repent and place our faith in Him and have our sins removed as far as the east is from the west (Psalm 103:12)!

Before closing out this section, the author has one final warning…

Hebrews 8:13 ESV

In speaking of a new covenant, he makes the first one obsolete. And what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.

He has quoted this entire section of Jeremiah 31 to remind his readers that they must avoid going back to the Old Covenant. It is obsolete - meaning that it is decaying, wearing out, old, and will be superseded.

The author is speaking from Jeremiah’s time period. There was an expiration date placed on the Old Covenant. In some 600 years, the Old Covenant would be obsolete - gone. And with the death and burial and resurrection of Christ - the New Covenant rendered the Old Covenant obsolete forevermore.

Scripture References: Romans 7:7, Genesis 3:15, Jeremiah 31:31-34, Genesis 12:3, Romans 1:16, Romans 11, Revelation 7, Revelation 14, Psalm 117, Revelation 7:9-10, Romans 11:25, 2 Corinthians 3:18, Ezekiel 36:26-27, Psalm 103:12

Conclusion:

As we come to a close, we have seen the beauty of Christ’s priestly work on our behalf.

He ministers unto us from a better position. He is at the right hand of the Father in heaven!

He ministers unto us from a better place - namely the heavenly sanctuary!

And He ministers unto us from a better promise - namely the New Covenant. In this, He mediates on our behalf based on a better promise. This promise is based on the finished work of Christ on the cross which provides true reconciliation between man and God.

And through this New Covenant we are blessed with a new heart, a new relationship, a new mind, and a new purity.

Come to the better place and meet with the One who is better than all others.

He is always available - 24/7. May we build our lives on the solid rock of Jesus, and continually turn to Him in praise and prayer.